I'll Never Forget II

"What do you mean you're letter of resignation?"
"I mean that I'm resigning from your command and your ship."
"Chakotay, why?" She looked like she was about to cry.
"Because, Captain, you were right. I can never go back to the Alpha quadrant. Starfleet will be all over me no matter what. I'll never get a moments peace."
"Chakotay, her voice was cracking and tears were getting ready to stream down her face, "I never meant any of this to go this far. I was just upset."
"No Kathryn, you helped me understand. This is all real. I can never go back. The Maquis can get off, but as the leader, I'm worse off then Paris."
"Chakotay, listen to me..."
"I request a shuttle and enough supplies, like on 'New Earth' to stay on the next habitable planet. I'm ready to leave whenever we find one." And with that he left and went straight past the bridge to his quarters.
"Kathryn to B'Elanna" she called over the COMM., B'Elanna knew something was wrong, she said Kathryn, not Captain.
"I'm here Kathryn, what's wrong?" She could hear the tears in her voice.
"Can you meet me in my ready room now please?"
"On my way Torres out. Vorik!" She called across engineering, "Finish fixing the gel pack in Jeffries tube 11. I'll be back in a few hours." And she headed to the Captain's, no, Kathryn's ready room.
When B'Elanna got there Kathryn was still sobbing and when she was able to speak, she told B'Elanna everything that happened.
"He is seriously resigning?" Kathryn handed her the PADD. She saw that it was authentic.
"Over a couple of sentences B'Elanna, that's all." She rest her face on the palms of her hands. "I didn't know what I say meant so much to him. Any one else could of said it and he'd be staying."
"Isn't there any way you can make him stay? Since you *are* the Captain."
"NO, I read over all of the Prime Directive, all the rules, they do no good. If Chakotay wants to leave then there's no way I can make him stay."
"When do we get near the M-Class planet Harry found?"
"He says we can be there within a week, but I've asked Tom to stay at warp 3, just to see if Chakotay changes his mind on the way."
"I have an idea...Captain, can I have your permission to put together a type of..'Good Bye Party' for Chakotay? I won't take up to much time."
"If it will make him stay..." her voice trailed off, she was getting really emotional, B'Elanna had never seen her like this. She had to do something, anything to get Chakotay to stay, for her. For Kathryn.
=^= *************** =^=
"Neelix, can I talk to you for a moment?" B'Elanna sprinted to the counter to speak to Neelix, she knew he would be more than happy to help.
"Hello B'Elanna, you're here early, doesn't your shift in another hour or two?"
"Yes, but Neelix, can we sit and talk for a few minutes? I need your help with something."
The little Talxian was gleeful to be able to help one of the senior staff with anything, so he led them to an empty table in the corner.
B'Elanna set him down and told him that Commander Chakotay was leaving, she didn't get into details, just that he wanted off the ship. She asked him to do one small favor for her.
"A going away party? "
"Yes, just a talent night kind of thing. We need this to be big."
"When do I need it ready by?"
"The Captain says within a eight or nine days."
"Consider it done." He smiled and scrambled off to the kitchen to plan out the special occasion.
=^= *************** =^=
Away in is dark quarters Chakotay sat and thought of their conversation over and over again. Where did he go wrong? He was just trying to help her. Maybe that was it, she never needed, wanted his help. He should of just left it at that.
But now, he had to think of living the rest of his life alone. What was he thinking?
He can't go live on a planet al alone for another good 20 years, well that's how long he's hoping to survive.
=^= *************** =^=
'beep beep' The door to Chakotay's door chimed.
'Beep beep' He had no need to talk to anyone. He'll let that door ring until the end of never.
The doors just then swished open. He knew nothing can keep anybody out for too long.B'Elanna walked in and searched the dimmed quarters for Chakotay. She saw him sitting on the couch, just staring into nothing. He was crouched near the corner with a pillow to his chest. And he just stare out the view port.
"Hey," B'Elanna greeted in a soft quiet voice. He did not respond. "how you doing?"
"Ehhh--" was the only response she got out of him.
"You know Kathryn is really worried about you."
"The Captain never wants to loose a first officer." He said coldly.
"No, not the Captain, Kathryn. She cares about you. And she doesn't want you to leave."
"She doesn't care." Was said flat out. He stared back at the view port. His face was revealing hurt and worry.
"You know, were planning something for you, a kind of going away party. We're hoping you'll come out of your hole to see it." She attempted a smile. But it was quickly gone when she had heard Chakotay's next sentence.
"Oh, so she's that quick to get rid of me too?" he didn't even look at her when he spoke.
"Chakotay, you know as well as I do that you don't want to leave. There are too many things and people here." She lowered a voice to a near whisper, "You know you can never leave her."
His head spun around to see B'Elanna trying as hard as she could to comfort him.
"When is that party?" He said standing up heading towards the replicator.
"It should be in 5 days. 1600 hours."
"OK." was his only response and headed back to B'Elanna, gave her a hug and took a cup of tea back to the couch and sat there. Obviously just waiting for B'Elanna to leave. When she did, the tears came. She was right too, he could never leave Kathryn. The Captain he never wanted to be around, but Kathryn was his closest friend. What was he going to do.

Finish 2 of ?